Our events offer everything from mass public plein air paint outs, to one-day pop-up explorations of East Anglian towns and countryside, intense weekend events painting dawn to dusk, and our premier fully-juried and selected 8-day event in Norwich & Norfolk. Click the links below to view the historic eventgalleries or scroll down for the most recent events. Paint Out Norfolk 2023 online galleries is seeing daily updates/uploads – partial previews showing now – or visit the physical exhibition. Contact us if interested in any paintings for up-to-date availability.
Robert Nelmes painting his First Prize winning painting at Norwich Market, 2016
Robert Nelmes paints in oils and watercolour, both with their own unique set of challenges, particularly enplein air with environmental pressures and “greater sense of urgency, with a level of intensity and concentration unique to the discipline.” He says that creating a plein air painting and leaving it in its raw state is a very “honest representation of you as an artist.”
Robert was born in Leeds and moved to the Isle of Skye when he was 16, completing his education in drawing and painting at Edinburgh College of Art in 1987. Whilst illustrating for the last 25 years he has maintained his passion for painting and drawing. Illustration clients have included: BP, Diageo, Jura Whisky, Standard Life, RBS, National Trust for Scotland and Historic Scotland.
“The shifting light and changing weather will always present a greater test to the artist than the safety of the studio can. For me this increases the sense of urgency, promoting a more instinctive reaction and vibrant result.” – Robert Nelmes
He has taken part in Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2015 and has been teaching landscape painting in Italy as well as getting out into the local Norfolk countryside from his new base in Roydon, Diss – close to the Norfolk/Suffolk border.
“I enjoy capturing the essence of what makes each landscape unique, be it the light, a majestic mountain range or the vastness of the ocean and now the big skies and patchwork landscape of Norfolk draw me in.”
Robert Nelmes painting Blacksmiths at RNS17
Robert Nelmes scooped the Paint OutFirst Prize at Paint Out’s inaugural Freestyle competition (2016) and again for his painting ‘Blacksmiths‘ at the Royal Norfolk Show (2017), presented by Keys Fine Art Auctioneers and the Chairman of Archant Newspapers.
“I am over the moon and amazed because the standard was so high. I decided to paint the blacksmiths because the subject suits the way I paint. It’s all about light and dark, energy and movement and contrast, and it’s a challenge too.” – Robert Nelmes, EDP
He also sold at the Royal Norfolk ShowPaint Out art auction run by Keys Auctioneers, exceeding the list price. One to watch, and invest in!
Paint Out Awards
Paint Out Great Yarmouth – First Prize & People’s Choice (2018)
Paint Out Sudbury – Participated (2018)
Paint Out Norwich – Freestyle First Prize (2016), Nocturne First Prize (2017)
Paint Out Wells-next-the-Sea – Judge’s Commendation (2017)
Paint Out Royal Norfolk Show – First Prize (2017)
Sample Gallery & Works for Sale
Artist Robert Nelmes 'Norwich Market', Oil, 100x50cm, FOR SALE, £950
Artist Andrew Geeson, Summer Shed, Ringland, Watercolour, 29x21cm, FOR SALE, £200
Robert Nelmes, 'Sasha Eating His Chips', Pottergate, Norwich, Oil, 41x30cm, FOR SALE
Robert Nelmes, 'St Andrews Brew House', St Andrews, Norwich, Oil, 31x21cm, FOR SALE
Robert Nelmes, 'The Mill Hotel', Sudbury, Oil, 30x40cm, FOR SALE
Robert Nelmes, 'Gainsborough's Garden', Gainsborough Museum, Sudbury, Oil, 30x40cm, FOR SALE
Robert Nelmes, 'Norfolk Show Panoramic', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 30x40cm, FOR SALE
Robert Nelmes, 'Rare Breed', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 30x40cm, SOLD
Robert Nelmes, 'Farrier's Competition', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 30x40cm, FOR SALE
Robert Nelmes, 'Amongst the Sheep', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 20x30cm, SOLD
Robert Nelmes, 'Blacksmiths', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 30x40cm, SOLD, First Prize
Tom Cringle has been exhibiting and selling work for nearly 20 years. Self-taught, he works predominately in acrylic and oil.
His first exhibition was in The Old Black Horse shop in Burnham Market. Tom’s work has further been featured in solo and joint shows which include: Fabulous Frames in Norwich, The Mall Gallery in London, The Flint Gallery in Blakeney and Aldeburgh Contemporary Art in Suffolk. He has recently exhibited at and been accepted by the East Anglian Group of Marine Artists (EAGMA).
Tom specialises in landscapes and seascapes inspired by the beauty and big skies of Norfolk and beyond. He loves to paint the expansive skies that are seen over the beaches of Norfolk and Suffolk using large canvases to allow as much sky as possible to be included. In 2016, he scooped a First and Second Prize in Paint Out Norwich Nocturnes and Mixed Media categories, following this up in 2017 with Second Prize in Paint Out at the Royal Norfolk Show.
Paint Out Awards
Paint Out Sudbury – Artists’ Choice Prize (2018)
Paint Out Royal Norfolk Show – Second Prize (2017)
Paint Out Norwich – Nocturne First & Mixed Media Second Prizes (2016), selected and participated (2015, 2017)
Paint Out Wells – selected and participated (2015, 2017, 2018)
Paint Out Norfolk – selected and participated (2019, 2020, 2021)
Sample Gallery & Works for Sale
DSC01281 Tom Cringle, Untitled, Paint Out Norwich Second Prize overall, Nocturne First Prize - Photo by Katy Jon Went
DSC01263 Artist Tom Cringle 'Blue Sign, Market', Norwich Market, £375 Acrylic & ink, 50x50cm, Paint Out Norwich 2016 - Mixed Media Second Prize. Photo by Katy Jon Went
Winterton-busy-beach.-July-PO20..Tom-Cringle
KJW02480 Artist Tom Cringle, 'East Hills Study', Wells Beach, Acrylic, 30x24in, £450. Paint Out Norfolk 2019
Artist: Tom Cringle, Title: The Watch House, Location: Wells Beach, Media: Acrylic, Size: 50x40cm, £375
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Low Tide Looking North East', Wells-next-th
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Low Tide Looking North East', Wells-next-the-Sea, Oil, 60x50cm, £300. Paint Out Wells 2018
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Standing in the Shade', The Mill Hotel Mead
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Standing in the Shade', The Mill Hotel Meadow, Sudbury, Acrylic, 60x50cm, £250. Paint Out Sudbury 2018
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Afternoon Meadow', The Mill Hotel, Sudbury,
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Afternoon Meadow', The Mill Hotel, Sudbury, Oil, 60x50cm, £350. Paint Out Sudbury 2018
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Red Chickens', Norfolk Showground, Acrylic on board, 60x40cm, £250 SOLD
Artist: Tom Cringle, Title: Red Chickens, Location: Norfolk Showground, Media: Acrylic on board, Size: 60x40cm, £250
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Irons in the Fire', Norfolk Showground, Acrylic on board, 24x34cm, £150
Artist: Tom Cringle, Title: Irons in the Fire, Location: Norfolk Showground, Media: Acrylic on board, Size: 24x34cm, £150
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Flagpoles', Norfolk Showground, Acrylic on board, 60x40cm, £250
Artist: Tom Cringle, Title: Flagpoles, Location: Norfolk Showground, Media: Acrylic on board, Size: 60x40cm, £250
Artist Tom Cringle, 'Wood Carvings', Norfolk Showground, Acrylic on board, 60x40cm, £250
Artist: Tom Cringle, Title: Wood Carvings, Location: Norfolk Showground, Media: Acrylic on board, Size: 60x40cm, £250
Artist Tom Cringle, 'View from Paint Out Tent 1', Norfolk Showground, Acrylic on board, 60x40cm, £250
Artist: Tom Cringle, Title: View from Paint Out Tent 1, Location: Norfolk Showground, Media: Acrylic on board, Size: 60x40cm, £250
After obtaining a degree in Graphic Design, Jennifer Sendall trained atelier-style in “classical” studio painting techniques under Nicholas Beer. She has a special interest in the practice and techniques and practices of painters from the Renaissance to today.
Since then she has also developed skills in painting landscapes en plein air (in the open), and is an award-winning participant in many plein air festivals and competitions.
Jennifer now focusses on the countryside close to home in Suffolk and Norfolk, with a small proportion of still life, figure and commissioned portraiture. She is currently working towards a Masters at UCS Ipswich.
Her work has been exhibited in the Mall Galleries, Chelsea Old Town Hall, Maryland Hall, Annapolis, USA, De Posthoornkerk, Amsterdam, Netherlands and Greenacres Gallery, Wexford Eire as well as throughout East Anglia.
Paint Out Awards
Paint Out Norwich – selected and participated (2015)
Paint Out Wells – selected and participated (2016), Commended (2015)
Paint Out Royal Norfolk Show – selected and participated (2017)
Sample Gallery & Works for Sale
Jennifer Sendall, 'Applejack', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 9x11in, FOR SALE
Jennifer Sendall, 'The Grand Ring', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 9x11in, FOR SALE
Jennifer Sendall, 'Ready to Show', Norfolk Showground, Oil, 9x11in, FOR SALE
John Patchett is a well-known East Anglian professional artist, who is a member of the East Anglian Institute of Artists and whose pastel paintings are much sought after, both in England and abroad.
After attending Grimsby School of Art, Kingston-upon-Thames College of Art and Brighton College of Art, John settled in Australia where he lived for 19 years. In 1994, he returned to this country, settling in East Anglia where he has easy access to some of his favourite locations.
Besides holding over 40 successful solo shows in Australia and England, John’s pastel paintings have been exhibited in Japan, New Zealand and with the Pastel Society, The Royal Society of Marine Artists and the ‘Laing Exhibition’ at the Mall Galleries, London.
His pastel paintings cover a wide range of subject matter, including East Anglian and French landscapes, cityscapes, Broadland scenes, gardens, sunlit markets, street cafes, marine and coastal locations.
In recent years, John Patchett’s pastel paintings have become a regular feature in articles in the Leisure Painter magazine.
Recent recognition by the International Pastel Artistmagazine, America, of John Patchett as a ‘Master Pastelist’ reiterates the impact of his artwork on a global scale.
A local ‘claim to fame’ is that a photograph of John painting at his easel in Norwich market is printed on the box lid of the Norwich edition of the Monopoly game!
Paint Out Awards
Paint Out Norwich – People’s Choice Exhibition Vote Winner (Red Beret) (2017)
Paint Out Royal Norfolk Show – selected and participated (2017)
Other Awards
Laing Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London – Guest’s Choice prize (1997)
Sample Gallery & Works for Sale
John Patchett, 'Prize Blooms', Norfolk Showground, Pastel, 20x14in, RESERVED
John Patchett, 'Sorry, Members Only', Norfolk Showground, Pastel, 20x14in, FOR SALE
John Patchett, "Cows on the Marsh", Pastel, 52x60cm, FOR SALE
John Patchett, "Evening Light", Pastel, 47x58cm, FOR SALE
Eloise O’Hare is a mixed media artist using Quill and Ink and Watercolour wash. She is a veteran of Paint Out Norwich, Norfolk and Paint Out Wells-next-the-Sea since 2015 and regularly winning prizes for her humorous illustrative quirky view of life in front of her. A rare artist who often concentrates on the characters in her paintings where they have a real-life feel to them with a bold dash of fun and colour. She trained at Bradford and Ilkley Art College, BA Honours Degree, Cleveland College of Art, Illustration, and Great Yarmouth art school, Art & Design and Art History.
Eloise’s political cartoons have been published in VN magazine in the Netherlands and have been included in several books and online websites. She is a full-time professional artist having shown work in Gallery Norfolk’s Summer Show (2017) and Dandifest!
She took a Third-placed prize at Paint Out Norwich 2015 and, more recently, a First in 2017 when the famed artist John Wonnacott loving her winning artwork. Since then, she has become more visible and popular in galleries. Painting is her passion and she describes landscape painting as good for her soul. She paints in dip ink pen and watercolour as it gives “the feeling of movement and joy”, a style she started painting in after sitting on Cromer beach.
Paint Out History
Paint Out Norfolk, selected and participated (2020, 2021)
Paint Out Cambridge, selected and participated (2019)
Paint Out Norfolk Gardens, Spirit of Plein Air Award (2019)
Paint Out Norwich, First Prize (2017), Third Prize (2015), selected and participated (2018, 2016)
Paint Out Wells, selected and participated (2016, 2017, 2018)
Paint Out Royal Norfolk Show, selected and participated (2018)
Paint Out Great Yarmouth, selected and participated (2018)
Paint Out Sudbury, selected and participated (2018)
Other Awards
Best independent artist in Norfolk – Top Ten, nominated (2016)
Sample Gallery & Works for Sale
Artist Eloise O'Hare, My little Ponies, Gunton Park, Norfolk, Mixed Media, 75x60cm, FOR SALE, £650
Artist Eloise O'Hare, Bouys bouys bouys, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, Mixed Media, 50x60cm, SALE PENDING, £400
Artist Eloise O'Hare, Golden river, Whitlingham lane, Acrylic, 40x40cm, FOR SALE, £280
Artist Eloise O'Hare, 'Love Seat', Elsing Hall, Dereham, Norfolk, Mixed Media, 70cm, £480. Paint Out Gardens 2019
Artist Eloise O'Hare, 'Bishop's Banana', Bishop's House Gardens, Norwich, Watercolour, 10x14in, £200. Paint Out Gardens 2019
Artist Eloise O'Hare, 'Trinity Tryptic', Bishop's House Gardens, Norwich, Mixed Media, 7.5x10.5in(2), £110 (£300 set). Paint Out Gardens 2019, Spirit of Plein Air Award
Artist Eloise O'Hare, 'Trinity Tryptic', Bishop's House Gardens, Norwich, Mixed Media, 7.5x10.5in(3), £110 (£300 set). Paint Out Gardens 2019, Spirit of Plein Air Award
Artist Eloise O'Hare, 'Trinity Tryptic', Bishop's House Gardens, Norwich, Mixed Media, 7.5x10.5in(1), £110 (£300 set). Paint Out Gardens 2019, Spirit of Plein Air Award
Eloise O'Hare, 'Wishing Wells', Wells-next-the-Sea, Watercolour & Mixed Media, 30x45cm, FOR SALE, £280
Eloise O'Hare, 'Gainsborough with Flowers', Sudbury, Ink, Pen & Watercolour, 55x80cm, FOR SALE, £395
Eloise O'Hare, 'Salters Hall', Sudbury, Ink, Pen & Watercolour, 55x80cm, FOR SALE, £395
Eloise O'Hare, 'George', Norfolk Showground, Mixed Media, 40x40cm, FOR SALE
Eloise O'Hare, 'EDP', Norfolk Showground, Mixed Media, 40x40cm, FOR SALE
Eloise O'Hare, "Tractor Tide Line", Mixed Media on paper, 55x38cm, FOR SALE
Eloise O'Hare, "Let Sleeping Pigs Lie", Mixed Media on paper, 55x38cm, FOR SALE
Eloise O'Hare, "City Hall View", 18x26.5in, Pen, Ink & Watercolour on Paper, SOLD
Eloise O'Hare, "Chocolate Arcade", 18x26.5in, Pen, Ink & Watercolour on Paper, FOR SALE
Eloise O'Hare, "Jarrolds", 18x26.5in, Pen, Ink & Watercolour on Paper, SOLD
Eloise O'Hare, "Wet Dream", 50x70cm, Mixed Media, SOLD
Eloise O'Hare, "River Canoe Art School", Mixed Media, 70x50cm, FOR SALE
Eloise O'Hare, "Anglia Choo Choo", Mixed Media, 70x50cm, SOLD
Eloise O'Hare, "Peddlers Meadow", Mixed Media, 70x50cm, SOLD
Eloise O'Hare, "Old Maid", Mixed Media, 70x50cm, FOR SALE
Artist Kate Gabriel painting Winterton-on-Sea allotments during Paint Out Norfolk
Our outdoor painting programme builds upon 9 years of plein air art events across of Norfolk and Norwich with an open-air exhibition that sees dozens of artwork sales. We expect to welcome over 100 artists from UK, Europe & USA, do sign up early to join the UK’s most innovative plein air art event – the July 2023 event is now open for entries with early bird pricing (save up to £150). Come and capture the height of summer in city, coast and countryside locations including Norwich, Norfolk seaside, inland Broads, market towns, and historic houses, gardens and parks, allotments and cemeteries!
Our third 8 days+ summer format saw 80+ artists brave the hottest heatwave in UK history. Artists painted from the North Coast and its creeks to the sublime serenity of Gooderstone Water Gardens, the National Trust’s Blickling Hall to Wolterton Hall and Park, and across Norwich and the Norfolk Broads.
Judges included Dr Sally Anne Huxtable, Michael Richardson, and Hugh Pilkington.
We continued the new 1-8 days+ summer format with 70 artists and double the exhibition capacity. Artists painted from Hunstanton to Winterton, Gooderstone Water Gardens to Gunton Park, and across Norwich and the Norfolk Broads.
Judges included artists Maggi Hambling and Rob Adams, and curator/art historian Giorgia Bottinelli.
Moving our premier event to the summer allows us to spend up to 8 days in Norwich and Norfolk, around city, coast and countryside, including seaside and market towns as well as the iconic historic medieval city of Norwich itself.
Following 2018’s midwinter free event we returned to Norwich Market, Jarrolds, Haymarket and the surrounding area to paint the seasonal scenes. Some 20 artists participated, painting early for the light as well as late for the Christmas lights.
Paint Out Norfolk Gardens, May-Oct 2019
Throughout 2019 we explored Norfolk’s great gardens with a succession of one-day events at:
The Holt Festival (21-27 July), now in its eleventh year, invited Paint Out to open this year’s Festival with a two-day Paint Out and Private View (19-20 July) around the charming North Norfolk town. Robert Upstone a Tate curator judged the event at Paint Out Holt as well as Charlotte Crawley (Art Historian, former EAAF).
Home to 500-year-old Gresham’s School (alumni include WH Auden, Olivia Colman, Benjamin Britten, James Dyson, and the artist Ben Nicholson), this two-session Paint Out will be backed up by a ten-day exhibition in Picturecraft of Holt, a gallery and Art material supplier with the winners exhibiting alongside the now well established Holt Art Prize.
Paint Out Norfolk took place in conjunction with The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts1-7 July (painting days 1st-5th, PV 5th, Exhibition 6th-7th) based around the Sainsbury Centre/UEA campus site and painting further afield including Wells-next-the-Sea, the Broads, and Houghton Hall park.
The inaugural Paint Out Cambridge took place 13-17 May (painting 13-15th, PV 16th, exhibition till 17th) in collaboration with Cheffins Fine Art. Iconic views, Cambridge colleges, Kings College Chapel, the River Cam – its punts and bridges, the Market, may all feature in our first plein air Cambridge art event.
Paint Out™ is a multi-faceted event aiming to redefine en plein air art practice. Our core event is the premier and only fully juried en plein air competition in the United Kingdom, celebrating the talents of national and international artists before a wide and growing audience in the heart of medieval and iconic Norwich and at satellite locations. Our events aim to push the experience of painting en plein air and its challenges in all weather conditions, times of day and light, and varied locations and points of view.
Plein Air – Art works carried out in the open air – chiefly with reference to painting. The Paint Out competitions, however, accept any 2-dimensional media or mixed-media applied to a canvas/board/paper embracing drawing, pastels, oils, watercolour, and even screen-printing. Innovation and originality are encouraged alongside traditional art forms.
History of the Paint Out Competition
Paint Out Norwich launched in 2014 during the city’s October Hostry Festival, that itself began in 2011. Some 30 artists participated in the first Norwich event, 35-45 in subsequent events. Read about the prizewinners from Paint Out Norwich 2014,Norwich 2015,Norwich 2016, Paint Out Norwich 2017 and Paint Out Norwich 2018. Paint Out events also hit the North Norfolk coast of Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney, Brancaster Staithe, and Burnham Market, in 2015-2018 and Great Yarmouth in 2018. See some of the past winners: Paint Out Wells 2016, 2017, 2018. Paint Out Norfolk 2020-23 saw us move the main event to the summer months and now attracts 70-100 artists.
Paint Out™ is an art event aiming to refresh and redefine 21st century en plein air art practice. Founded in 2014, we are the UK’s premier and only fully juried en plein air art competition, celebrating the talents of national and international artists before a wide audience in the heart of medieval and iconic Norwich, around beautiful Norfolk‘s towns, countryside, broads and coast. We also hope to visit Suffolk again soon and have also painted Cambridge. Many of our events are about extreme painting challenges, in any weather, up against the clock and the gaze of the art-loving public. Come and ExperienceArt, Live!
Artist Kate Gabriel painting Winterton allotments, Paint Out Norfolk 2020
Our outdoor painting programme builds upon over 9 years of plein air art events and 3 years of 8-day tours of Norfolk and Norwich with open-air exhibitions seeing dozens of artwork sales and thousands also raised for charity. Each event sees interest from over 100 artists from UK, USA, France, Ireland, Malta, Scandinavia and elsewhere; do enter the UK’s most innovative plein air art event running each July with applications exceeding 140+ artist entries.
Artist Karen Adams painting on Winterton Beach dunes during Paint Out Norfolk 2020
It’s an opportunity to brush up alongside new and familiar faces of the plein air art community. Challenge your creativity. Develop your skills – we have optional extra workshops and demos from guest artists Haidee Jo Summers, Roger Dellar, and Rob Nelmes. Come and capture the height of summer in county, city, coast, and countryside locations including Norwich, Norfolk seaside, inland Broads, seaport and market towns, several historic houses and gardens, and over-the-border forays to Constable country in Suffolk. There will be guest artists, painting demos, talks, socials, and art world judges.
Recent judges have included Dr Sally Anne Huxtable, Michael Richardson, Maggi Hambling, Rob Adams, Hugh Pilkington and the Castle Museum’s Giorgia Bottinelli.
This year the judges include art historian and award-winning author Frances Spalding; art history at UEA alumni, Aylsham Picture House chair, art and antiques expert on Dickinson’s Real Deal, James Layte; and Andrew Bowyer, formerly head of Phillips’ Picture Department, and Sotheby’s Old Masters and now a Fine Art Consultant for Sworders.
Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers will also be on-site during the PV on 20th July and through to 22nd July offering a free art appraisal service for one piece of your art/antique collection (Antiques Roadshow style!). They are the main sponsors of the event this year along with Rosemary & Co Brushes, Michael Harding Paints, and Norwich Art Supplies.